Apparatus for concentrating ores



A. F. HILLEKE. APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING ORES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 26. I920.

Patented Nov. 7, 119220 maww,

A. F. HILLEKE.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATING ORES.

AFPLICATiON FILED APR 26, I920.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

2 SHEEIS 'SHEE] 2.

LALSQgSSGO INVENTOR TTORNEY @atented Nov. .7, i922.

AUGUST F. HILLEKE, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRA-TING GEES.

A plication filed April 26, 1920. Serial No. 376,835.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Auousr F. HILLEKE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating Ores, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for concentrating ores and like materials.

My invention is more particularly concerned with an apparatus of a comparatively simple and inexpensive character which is especially suited for the separation of the fine particles of iron oxide in crushed iron ore (which is typical of the fines to be recovered from any crushed stock) from the larger particles of silica and other foreign matters of lower specific gravity than the iron, to the end that the loss of iron in the tailings may be reduced and that a product may be obtained, whichby nodulizing and cintering will, from an economic point, compete effectively with much higher grade ores than that under treatment.

I have practiced my invention in the concentration of the low grade red hematite ores of Alabama, which in many cases are too high in silica, alumina and other foreign matter to be commercially used. Experiments on a commercial scale by magnetic separation and by the use of a Wilfley table have been only partially successful, in both cases the loss hf iron in the tailings being too high to develop an efiective economic use of the product in competition with higher grade ores.

My invention deals with another phase of the problem of effectively utilizing low grade ores which are of such character and so placed as to be capable of being mined by the use of steam shovels, as when the latter method of mining is available the entire seams can be taken and the cost of mining the seams materially reduced. Such a practice however involves a material increase in the silicates to be eliminated in the concentrating process. The object of my invention is to devise an apparatus which will effectively and cheaply eliminate the greater percentage of foreign matter in the crushed stock and will itself produce a substantial percentage of fines and a large percentage 0 partially refined product which is in most suitable shape for effective and economic separation on a Wiliiey table or other equivalent separator.

The chief problem encountered is that involved in the separation in a water or liquid bath of the small heavier particles of iron ore from the larger but lighter particles of silica and other foreign matter, and I utilize the principle of suspending the. finer particles in a separating, washing and concentrating tank by the control and direction of the currents in the bath to the end that a substantial percentage of the fines are discharged in concentrated form ready for use and that the fine iron ore tending to pass off with the coarser foreign matter is washed from the latter and delivered in part to the tank or other separating means and; in part as a semi-concentrated product to the Wilfiey table or other separator where the separating process is finished, or Where the semirefined product may be again. collected and returned in circuit through the combined separator, washer and concentrator.

In the practice of my invention for separating ore, the stock to be treated is first crushed to sufiicient fineness, preferably by preliminary crushing to size it and by finishmg the product in a ball mill, it being necessary to reduce the product to the necessary fineness to make possible the separation of silica, alumina, their compounds and other constituents from the iron in suiiicient quantity to make a concentrate of the 'desired character. The next step is to deliver the crushed ore to a screen showered with water, thereby causing the smaller particles to pass through the screen and the larger particles to pass over the screen, and as these larger particles contain onlv small particles of iron, they are delivered direct to the refuse or tailings pile. The elimination of these coarser particles increases the percentage of iron content in the finer particles which pass through the screen and this partially refined product is delivered by a trough in contact with water to the combined separator, washer and concentrator which forms the most important and essential element in my invention. Here threeoperations are accomplished, as follows: I

The semi-concentrate is discharged into the upper end of a tank supplied with water f or other fluid in such manner as to produce a rising current which gradually increases in volume from the upper intake end to the lower discharge end of the tank. This rising current of water will wash all of the very fine particles of ore fro-m the coarser particles of ore and foreign matter as the latter descend towards the bottom of the tank and this upward flow of water is just suflicient to carry off all of these very fine particles through a suitable overflow port and thence to a settling basin where the fines concentrates settle out and is ready to be nodulized and sintered. This concentrator contains somewhat more than fifty per cent iron and extracts approximately fifty per cent of the total iron from the original.

ore. This recovery represents one of the operations.

The second operation takes place in connection with the discharge of the coarser particles of ore and foreign matter and consists in conveying this material from the concentrating tank and as an agitated mass against a reverse How of water as the preferred means to effectively wash off from the larger particles of matter the finer ore particles still adhering thereto. This second washing of the larger particles is the second and perhaps the most important step of my invention as upon it depends the economic practicability of the process.

As a third and final step, the finer particles, thus Washed from the larger particles passing off to the refuse or tailings pile, are returned in part to the tank where they may pass off with the larger particles of ore to a final concentrator which may be a Wilfiey table or any other standard concentrating or separating apparatus which will effectively treat the semi-concentrated product so as to collect therefrom an additional percentage of fines containing more than fifty per cent iron, as well as middliugs which are too high in iron to be discarded and these middlings may be returned through the ball mill or direct with the stock into the separating tank for retreatinent. The concentrates from the table and the fines recovered from the combined separator, washer and concentrator are mixed and'constitute the concentrated. product of my apparatus which, when cintered or nodulized, becomes a high grade available product.

As illustrative of an apparatus suitable for carrying my invention into effect, reference is made to the accompanying drawin s, in which 1 illustrates a plant for the crushing, grinding, screening and separating of ores.

Fig. 2 is a side view partly broken away of the combined separator, washer and concentrator.

Fig. 3 is a reverse side view of Fig. 2 also partly broken away to illustrate the baffle.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

According to my invention, as illustrated, the low grade ores as mined by a steam shovel or in any, other manner are preliminarily crushed until reduced to suflicient fineness, say to a two inch and finer size. This product is charged into the bin 1 and delivered therefrom for further reduction, into a ball grinding mill 2 from which the finely reduced product is delivered to a screen 3 where it is showered with water from a spray 4, the smaller particles being caused to pass through the screen and out through a chute 5 and the larger particles to pass over the screen and be carried by an elevator 6 to the refuse or tailings pile. The iron content in that portion of the crushed material which has passed through the screen and through trough 5 is delivered thereby, in contact with water, to the combined separator, washer and concentrator, which is shown in detail in Figs 2 and 3. This comprises an elongated V-shaped tank 7 with its bottom sloping from the end adjacent to the chute 5 to the other or discharge end 8 of the tank which is provided with a series of vertical overflow apertures 9 at differentlevels, all being disposed so as to discharge into a chute 10 for carrying off the fines. The tank, on the side adjacent to the trough 5, is provided with an adjustable battle plate 11, this plate extending from and co-extensively with the top edge of one side of the tank towards the opposite side wall of the tank near the bottom thereof and fitting closely between the end walls of the tank. The lower edge of this bafile is left free and is controlled in its adjustment with relation to said opposite side by the provision of a series of set screws 12 which extend through threaded openings in the tank and have their heads engaged in seats 13 near the lower edge of the adjacent face of the battle. These screws can be adjusted so as to set the lower edge of the baffle at the desired spacing from the opposite tank side,-which spacing may and in practice is caused to vary gradually from the upper to the lower end of the tank. In practice this free edge of the baffle is set at approximately one-eighth of an inch from the opposite side of the tank at its lower edge, which clearance is reduced until it disappears at the upper end of the bafiie. Water is sup lied to the tank behind and below the bat e and must rise with an up current increasing from nothing at the intake end for the screenings to the maximum current flow at the outlet discharge end 8. ()nc supply of water is delivered through a pipe 14 into a water box 15 on the outside of the tank behind the baiiie, this box having a feed opening 16 at its bottom end opposite the upper end of the bafiie.

The bottom of the tank instead of terminating in a V is interrupted and joined to a. screw conveyor tube 17 having at its lower end a water inlet pipe 18 and having near its upper end another water inlet pipe 19 and beyond that'a discharge 20 from the conveyor. The conveyor tube, which thus forms the bottom for the tank, is provided with a series of inlet openings 21 closely spaced along its top surface and through these openings the coarser particles, working downwardly past the baffle 11, gain access to the conveyor tube and are there engaged by a screw conveyor 22 which runs the full length of the tube and delivers these coarser particles to the discharge 20, the conveyor being driven by a gear 23 meshing with a similar gear 21 driven by the motor 25. It is to be noted that the water entering through the feed water line 19 flows counter to the feed in the coarser material by the screw conveyor which both agitates the particles and causes them to rub against each other with an abrasive action. This agitation of the particles in the absence of the water stream is intended to facilitate the action of the water in detaching the finer particles of ore adhering to or tending to move ofi with the coarser particles and cause the same to pass back in suspension in the water through the inlet openings 21 into the tank and thence to pass up with the circulation of water and join the concentrates passing off through chute '10.

The feed water line 18 delivers a supply of water through the conveyor tube to the lower end of the tank, while the feed water line 14 delivers a water supply to the upper end of the tank, and the feed water line 19 delivers water to a greater or less de ree throughout the length of the tank, an all these water supplies enter the tank below and behind the baffle plate 11 and must therefore gain access to the main body of water above the battle by passing through the gradually enlarging clearance between the lower end of the battle and the adjacent side wall of the tank. This produces an upflow or current through the tank which can he finely adjusted to the condition and character of the ore and which is capable of holding in suspense in the body of liquid in the tank the finer, though heavier, particles of ore while permitting the coarser particles of ore and foreign matter, though the latter may be lighter, from working downwardly between the battle and the tank and gaining access to the conveyor tube through the inlets 21. The fines discharged through the trough 10 are ready to be nodulized, cintered or otherwise treated and will be found to containin excess of fifty per cent iron, notwithstanding the ore would grade as low as thirty per cent in iron.

The semi-refined or partly concentrated product passing off through the discharge 20 is delivered to a Wilfley table or equivalent separator 26 driven by a motor or equivalent prime mover 27 and having a disitself for ,retreatment thereon or to the tank 7 as may be desired.

It is a special object of the combined separator, washer and" concentrator 7', that it can be adjusted to control the agitation of the body of water or fluid therein so as to most efficiently separate the fine ore particles from the larger though lighter particles of silica and foreign matter, this being accomplished by the greater tendency of the finer particles to be held in suspension in the water while the larger particles will tend to fall to the bottom, and these finer particles in suspension pass off with the overflow water as fines.

It is most important to notethat inevitably a substantial percentage of fine ore will tend to pass off with the silica and larger ore particles as the latter are carried by the screw or other conveyor and my experience has been that these finer particles thus carried oil are not very eiliciently separated and recovered by the Willley table or equivalent separator. I am able to obtain a greatly increasedpercentage of fines by the novel idea of washing these fines back by a counter flow of water or by moving the coarser particles under agitation through an agitated body of water capable of bringing these finer particles into suspension therein and con veying them back to the separator tank or equivalent device, such as a settling basin, for their ultimate recovery. It is also to be noted that I obtain an external adjustment for the hafiie 11 which atlords a very convenient means for regulating the water supply according to the results being obtained on the grade of material under treatment, thus enabling the apparatus to be quickly brought to and maintained at its most eflicient operating condition.

This invention is not intended to be restricted in scope to the specific embodiments shown, but contemplates such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and thelike a tank having an adjustable bafile disposed lengthwise thereof and extending from one side towards the opposite side of thetank, means to introduce water below the battle, means to introduce the material to. be treated above the baflle, and means to produce a variable clearance between the free edge of said bafie and the said opposite wall of the tank to control the feed and effect a differential distribution of water to the separating portion of the tank.

2. In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and the like, an elongated, substantially V-shaped tank having a conveyor in its bottom and an overflow, a battle extending from end to end of the tank and inclined obliquely downwardly from one side and terminating adjacent to the bottom of the other side, means to regulate the clearance between the free bottom edge of the battle and the tank, means to introduce feed water below the baffle, and means to introduce the material to be separated above and near one end of the bafiie and an overflow near the other end of the baflle.

3. In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and the like, an elongated substantially V-shaped tank having a conveyor in its bottom and an overflow tor fines, a bafile extending obliquely downwardly from one side and terminating adjacent to the bottom of the other tank side, external means to regulate the clearance between the free bottom edge of the battle and the tank, said baffle being shaped and relatively disposed to produce a differential clearance between its free end and the tank to effect a variable upflow of water lengthwise of the tank, means to introduce feed water below the battle, and means to introduce the material to be separated above the baffle.

4. In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and the like, a tank having an elongated substantially V-shape disposed at an incline with a material feed chute at its upper end, there being a fine outlet port at its lower end, means to introduce water along the bottom of the tank, and means to admit the water from the bottom into the upper portion of the tank through a continuous aperture gradually enlarging from the upper to the lower end of the tank.

5. In a separator, washer and concentrator, a V-shaped sloping tank having a conveyor tube at its bottom with inlet apertures, adjustable regulating means to form and control the cross sectional area of a restricted passage connecting portions of the tank above and below said means, means to introduce water below the regulating means, means to introduce material above the regulating means, and means to feed water to the tank through the conveyor tube.

6. In a separator, washer and concentrator, a V-shaped sloping tank having a fines overflow and a conveyor tube at its bottom with inlet apertures, a transverse sloping bafile adjustable at its bottom edge to regulate the passage connecting the portions of the tank above and below the bafile, means to introduce water below the baifie, means to introduce material above the baflle, and means to feed water to the tank through the conveyor tube, said means comprising one water inlet at the lower end of the conveyor tube and a second water inlet near the upper or discharge end of the conveyor tube.

7. In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and the like, an elongated tank having downwardly converging side walls, an ore feed chute near one end of the tank, a longitudinal transverse bafile extending from one side wall to provide a water passage clearance between its free edge and the other side of the tank, means to adjust said baflle to vary said clearance, the baflle and its adjusting means being adapted to produce a clearance which gradually enlarges from the feed chute towards the other end of the tank, an overflow of the lighter particles atsaid latter end, means to feed water below the bafl le to cause an upflow through said clearance, and means to collect and carry off the heavier particles settling through said water passage clearance.

8 In an apparatus for the separation and concentration of ore and the like, an elongated tank of varying depth and having downwardly converging side walls, a longitudinal transverse baifle extending from one side wall to provide a water passage clearance between its free edge and the other side of the tank, means to adjust said bafile to vary said clearance, the bafile and its adjusting means being adapted to produce a clearance which gradually enlarges from the shallower towards the deeper end of the tank, an overflow for the li hter particles at said latter end, means to eed water below the baffle to cause an upflow through said clearance, means to feed the material to be separated above the bafile at the shallower end of the tank, and means to collect and carry off the heavier particles settling through said water passage clearance In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

AUGUST F. HILLEKE.

Witness Non/rm. WELSH.

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